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Microplastics in the Great Marsh, MA: A small problem with big implications

The Great Marsh Estuary, located along the North Shore of Massachusetts, is the largest contiguous salt marsh in New England and provides critical ecosystems services at both local (flood protection, erosion control, recreation) and regional (carbon storage, water filtration, wildlife habitat) scales. Situated between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, estuaries face high rates of contamination from land-based sources. Microplastics, defined as small plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, are one of these contaminants. Their presence poses a threat to environmental and human health due to their persistence and accumulation in ecosystems and species, as well as their association with persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals. To understand the presence and impact of microplastics in the Great Marsh, a pilot study was conducted in October 2020. Using a 335 μm manta trawl net, surface water tows were conducted at twenty-two locations spanning from Gloucester to West Newbury, MA. Samples were collected and processed in accordance with the NOAA Marine Debris Program protocol. Results indicate the presence of microplastics in every sample. Concentrations varied from a minimum of 0.32 pieces/m3 at Wingaersheek Harbor in Gloucester to a maximum of 3.75 microplastics/m3 in the upper Merrimack River in West Newbury. Filaments were the most abundant microplastic type found across all samples, ranging from 72.7-95.8%, followed by fragments, films, foams, and pellets. These results are consistent with other published studies of estuarine and coastal environments and indicate the prevalence of microplastics in our coastal ecosystems. Additional studies are recommended to further understand the role that environmental and anthropogenic drivers have on the spatial and temporal distribution of microplastics in New England estuarine environments like the Great Marsh.

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